Home is where the heart is (Nanoha x Fate x Hayate one-shot)
by Mereel Skirata
Summary: When you are away from home, you tend to long for family. But family can make a homecoming all the sweeter, to be welcomed back by those you love and who love you. And such a welcome awaits Fate. One shot. Sappy romantic drabble pretty much penned in one night. No less fun because of that though. Rated T for safety.


Home is where the heart is

Series: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

Pairing: Nanoha x Fate x Hayate

Contains references to lesbian romance and love. Don't like it, don't read. This story is owned by me, Mereel Skirata and cannot be reproduced or republished without my permission.

* * *

'Okaeri nasai, Fate-chan.'

Those words greeted the tall blonde as her long loose hair flicked in the fresh mountain air that brought goosebumps to her arms even through her elegant black suit. Cold it might be but it spoke to home in a way that nothing else could.

'Arigato, Lindy-San.' Fate replied as she quickly strode towards the green haired women, the soft rumble of the wheeled case she had been dragging stopping as she enfolded her in a soft hug. 'It's good to be home.'

'Just once I would have liked you to call me okaasan.' Lindy sighed with a good humoured smile on her face. 'Not that I don't like Lindy-San.'

'Wasn't it you who said I didn't have to call you that?' Fate chided with a smile. That was true. It had been one of the first things they had talked on after she had taken her in. She wasn't trying to replace her mother. Or take over for her. Just..fill in for her. Fill in. Like she was going to come back for her. Fate had wanted to believe that. That one day she could just come back and walk in like the whole thing had been a bad dream. The rest of her just wanted to forget all about her, about all the pain, the sadness, the eyes following her everywhere she went, the rumours. The stories about the daughter of the child killer. It had just been too much to hold onto. So she had just locked it away in her mind and thrown herself into her new life here.

'Alright, alright. You've got me there.' Lindy admitted. 'I'm afraid Nanoha and Hayate are still working. We do have a few guests to entertain right now. But I took the liberty of preparing the Oaken Spa for you. Someone might as well use it before we close it for cleaning. And you look like you could use a nice hot bath.'

'I'm not going to argue with that.' Fate said as she grabbed her case with a fresh twinge of complaint from her arm.

'Nono. You leave that.' Lindy eased the case from Fate's grip. 'I'll have Signum bring it in. You go on up. Shamal should have everything prepared for you. Go on, scoot.'

* * *

Fate hadn't needed much encouragement to do that. And she had indeed found everything ready for her as she stepped into the spacious bath, the solid oak walls that gave it its name painted with a freeze depicting the exact scene of the countryside around the hotel. Not that she could see it through the steam rising from the water that was beckoning her so temptingly. A temptation Fate didn't resist as she neatly folded her towel on the stones that ringed the pool, her long legs leading the rest of her into the water until she was sitting with it lapping softly around her shoulders.

Just like she couldn't resist the sigh that slipped from her lips, the warm water soothing away all the stresses of the last week; long meetings, dull conferences, the usual stilted social events, not too mention two very long plane flights made no less strenuous for being first class. All just dropped away in the unbroken peace only a hot bath can bring. Until Fate's new found calm was broken by the harsh sound of the door opening, followed a second later by the softer sound of equally soft footfalls.

Except in Fate's head where the noises were more like the thunder of boots on a metal floor, jarring her so recently soothed nerves.

'Oh, who can that be.' Fate snapped. 'I'm going to kill Shamal. She said she would keep anyone from bothering me.'

'Now, is that any way to talk to your wives?' Nanoha's voice drifted out from the steam to wash over her ears.

'Nanoha? Hayate?' Fate felt her heart soar as she peered through the steam at the indistinct figures. 'I thought you had to work.'

'We just got finished.' Hayate replied in that almost melodic voice of hers. 'We would have been here sooner but we had to change.'

'Change?' Fate rose with a splash of water to fully look at her wives. 'Change into wh...oh my.'

Fate's voice trailed off as first Nanoha then Hayate barely a second later emerged from the rolling steam, the auburn and chestnut haired beauties clad in little more than a very two very tight towels that hugged their chests as close as they often cuddled first thing in the morning. The same said towels hung just barely past their hips, doing nothing to cover their shapely, slender legs.

'Well, it was certainly worth the wait.' Fate recovered quickly as she stood. 'And this certainly is a very special welcome home.'

'We wanted to welcome you home.' Nanoha joined Fate in the bath at the same time as Hayate, the blonde consultant suddenly sandwiched between her wives in a slow but no less intimate hug.

'I've only be gone a week.' Fate chuckled but made no move to move away. 'Did you really miss me that much?'

'It's no fun waking up without, Fate-chan.' Nanoha pouted. 'Of course, it's nice to wake up wrapped in Hayate-chan's arms. But it's nicer with two.'

'I have to admit, I did miss that.' Fate whispered. 'Sometimes I wake to find myself reaching for you only to find you weren't there.' That was true. Amazing as the hotel had been, the huge room had felt far to empty sometimes. As had the bed. Sleeping alone was something Fate wasn't sure she would ever get used too again.

'So, didn't find yourself a cute redhead to warm your bed for the week then.' Hayate chuckled. 'I bet girls would have been..ow.'

'That's enough of talk like that.' Nanoha pulled her hand back from where she had flicked Hayate's nose, her exclamation more one of shock than actual pain.

'Now, now.' Fate chided. 'Settle down my loves. Unless you both want me to put you to bed right now.'

'And miss even one evening with our darling Fate?' Hayate shook her head. 'Wouldn't dream of it. I want to enjoy every evening with you here before you have to go away again.'

'That's not going to be for a long time.' Fate promised. 'Unless of course, we decide to go away somewhere together.'

'Oh, I don't think that would be such a bad idea.' Nanoha grinned.

* * *

Fate hadn't thought she could have been more content than in the bath. But lying here in her bed, in her room, snuggled between her two gorgeous and loving wives, she realised she was wrong. This moment right here, she wouldn't change for anything. Until a voice called out from outside the door, one that brought a smile to her face.

'Mama's home.' Vivio exclaimed like that was the most important thing in the world to her. She could practically imagine her darling bouncing with excitement in her grandmothers arms, her dual coloured eyes wide with joy despite the late hour. Late for her anyway.

'Yes, little one. Let me just see if she is awake.' Lindy soothed.

'I'm awake, Lindy-San.' Fate said softly as Nanoha rolled over with a groan. 'Come in.'

'Sorry. But a certain little one awoke knowing Fate-mama was home and wanted to see her.' Lindy said.

'This is very much past your bedtime little lady.' Fate laughed as Vivio scrambled into the bed and threw her arms around her neck.

'I know. But I couldn't wait to see Fate-mama.' Vivio exclaimed. 'I couldn't miss seeing her tonight.'

'She gets it from you, I'm sure.' Fate said as she flicked a wry grin at the half asleep Nanoha. 'Well, come on little one. Just for tonight, you can sleep here with Mama's.'

Vivio's reply was a soft and suddenly sleepy smile as Fate lifted Vivio to her chest and lay down to cuddle her close to her breast beneath her black chemise as Hayate softly spooned against her back. Pushing away the sleep that was so close, even temporally, Nanoha shuffled closer to rest a drape a hand over her back.

'It's good to be home.' Fate whispered with a soft kiss on thier adoptive daughters head, content in the closeness of the three women she loved so much. Within seconds all four were all sound asleep.

END.

Funny how the muse can suddenly take you and make you want to write something. Okay, so it wasn't exactly how I imagined it when I settled down to actually start writing it. In my head I had an idea for something a little more steamy but this idea just seized hold of my head and here we are. A little sappy maybe but I like it.

Want to get a story like this, then feel free to drop me a line. I'm still open for commissions with reasonable rates. Any length, any series, any genre. You bring the ideas, I bring them to life.


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